Peter McIntyre

Coach Profile

Peter McIntyre was touted to be one of the best touch coaches around, but was still losing crucial matches.

He had represented New Zealand close to 100 times and knew the game inside out, but there was something missing.

“I was a very systematic coach when I first started, but I lost a lot of real nailbiters,” McIntyre explains.

“I had to have a real look at what I was doing technically and tactically in terms of who I was coming against, how they played, even the conditioning of our athletes.”

McIntyre had to find the balance between being systematic, while adapting to every player’s skillsets.

“It’s probably the hardest thing to do, it’s easy to teach a system. It’s to incorporate a player’s IQ into the system, where they can break away from it and start ad-libbing, is really hard,” he says.

McIntyre believes a lot of coaches in Aotearoa are too systematic, and need to find the balance of giving their athletes the space to use their own skills.

Coach of the New Zealand Open Women’s team, McIntyre is working towards the Touch World Cup in July 2024.

But he’s kept his coaching philosophy the same as when he started, all those years ago.

“I coached at club what I wanted to put forward at provincial level. I then upgraded at provincial level to then master it at national level and they were all learning facets as I went, developing my coaching philosophy and systems, and adjusting it to the athlete that I had,” he explains.

The connection with his athletes is just as important as the technical aspect of coaching.

“A lot of the thesis we run on is honesty and ownership – so owning your part in it. They’ll get honest feedback, and they’re allowed to deliver their honest opinion on what they’re getting,” says McIntyre.

When McIntyre first started coaching, he would have said there was no difference between coaching men and women but he’s learned differently.

“I was of the frame of mind where coaching was coaching and it didn’t really matter you know, the game was the game but it’s absolutely not the case,” he says.

McIntyre’s whole family have played touch to the highest level, and he coached both his daughters when they were younger.

“We were quite successful, but at the start of it, I had one wanting to quit and the other one crying in the sub box,” he says.

“My manner, not only to the team but to my daughters, was not cohesive to getting the outcome so I learned pretty quickly.”

McIntyre found the physicality of the men, and the fact that some of them grew up with a ball in their hand so different to the women.

“The men, they’ll come in with their macho attitudes and obviously brilliant skillsets and they’ll be harder to change into a system that’s been told to them and facts behind it.

“Whereas the women, you give them rationale behind anything and if they believe in it, they’ll do it, hands down.

“I found delivering the message and the learnings being quite enjoyable and uplifting for a coach – because all you want to see is them embracing something that’s going to make us a better team.”

McIntyre also works as the director of sport at Western Springs College-Ngā Puna o Waiōrea, a position he’s held for around 25 years.

“Coaching is my life and my life is people,” he says simply.

“They talk about coaching technical and tactical, but it’s people – if you have a knack with looking after people, then you can be a good coach.”

McIntyre’s whānau have all been hugely involved in the game – all his family playing for New Zealand. His daughter, Le Toia Tainui-McIntyre, is the assistant coach of the open women’s team, and his granddaughter Skylah Tainui- Takerei plays for the team.

“The people make it special, and that’s why I talk about my family, I’ve been very lucky,” a proud McIntyre says.

“My wife was part of the New Zealand system, all my kids, all played for their country, all wear the Fern, now my grandkids. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

If McIntyre could pick one word of advice for coaches, it would be ‘credibility’.

“It’s a big word because you have to be organised, you have to know what you’re talking about,” he says.

“Everyone talks about culture, but without the credibility of a coach, culture means nothing, it’s a word they’ll chuck around.

“You need someone to give the group credibility and leadership – without that, you’re pushing uphill.”

McIntyre also credits honesty with his players to go hand in hand with credibility.

“Credibility comes from all the other things, making sure of your integrity, you’re organised, you do have some sort of leadership qualities, and you’re honest,” he explains.

“So that’s the one that I fall back to after the credibility is honesty.”